Modern aircraft, particularly those for larger numbers of commercial passengers, are normally equipped with inflatable slides for deployment in emergency situations. When deployed through inflation they provide a slide type ramp for use by passengers evacuating the aircraft. Such slides are normally maintained in the aircraft in an uninflated condition adjacent the aircraft door stored within a packboard which is rigid except for its top surface through which the slide is packed into the packboard.
This invention relates to a device which provides a mechanical assist in forming the collapsed escape slide for an aircraft, such as the 747-300 Upper Deck, into a proper shape and density to fit within a specific packboard container.
This particular escape slide presents a unique problem in that it is contained within rigid wall members of the packboard and does not utilize a flexible lace down cover. The normal lace down cover allows the fabric to be kneaded and gradually pulled into contour of the supporting container by a lacing action similar to a shoe lace lacing arrangement. However, with the present upper deck evacuation system, the slide must be forced into position within the rigid walls of the packboard using high compression forces that can only be attained mechanically. These forces must be carefully distributed against the rigid wall members to preclude cracking of the packboard or bending of the hinge members of the deployment device.